Pin ticket machine



June 8, 1937. cIA. FLOOD 7 PIN TICKET MACHINE 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1951 June 8, 1937.. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I l I I I I I ;I I .1 L.

June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD 2,983,159

PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet a 5 J T? hmu June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 13 Sheets$heet 4 wamso June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 8,1937. c. A. FLOOD 2,G83,150

PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 gmv al June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 15 Sheets-$heet 7 l3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Eye/72307 C. A. F LOOD' PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 June 8, 1937.

June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 c. A. FLOOD June 8, 1937.

PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 jwerzzbz l5 Sheets-Sheet 11 c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 June 8 June 8, 1937. c. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1931 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 June 8, 1937.

C. A. FLOOD PIN TICKET MACHINE Filed Sept. 28,- 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 Patented June 8, 1937 PIN TICKET MACHINE Carl A. Flood, Framingham, Mass, assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 28, 1931, Serial No. 565,466

35 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of ticketing material, to the preparation of tickets for attachment as by printing, also to the mode of attaching tickets as well as to improved means Ill) - to facilitate removal thereof;

for these purposes. The invention provides a machine comprising several devices or instrumentalities which cooperate to advance, print, sever and attach tickets and also to feed the attaching elements such as pins preferably in a strip and to transfer these pins to prepared tickets. Moreover, the various features embodied in the'machine are also useful individually and ,may be employed advantageously for improving other apparatus of this general character.

Objects of the invention are generally to improve the construction and efliciency of apparatus of the class referred to and to simplify and improve the operations required for marking material by attaching tickets thereto; to provide for printing one or more times upon each ticket as desired and also for inking the type before each printing; to provide for visibly feeding attaching elements such as pins so that they may remain under observation during their advance substantially to a point at which such elements are transferred to a ticket; to provide for feeding a strip of pins by pulling the strip and also for carrying the strip out of the way after removal of pins therefrom; to provide for improving and simplifying the operation of removing a pin from a pin strip; to provide for operating the entire pin mechanism by a one-lever motlon which includes driving a pin, guiding or directing the pin. and feeding pins in a strip substantially at least to a point from which they may be transferred to or driven into a ticket; to provide for covering the point of a pin with the ticket attached thereby; to provide for attaching tickets in this manner without substantial bending or deformation of the pin so as to improve the mode of holding or clamping a ticket onto ma terial to which it is to be attached; to provide mechanism for these purposes having an improved construction and relative arrangement of parts and which may be relatively light in weight and also readily accessible.

In the drawings:

1 is a front elevation of a pin ticket 1 machine with the front wall of the housing re- Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation with parts omitted and broken away;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, showing in side elevation the operating mechanism with parts omitted and broken away;

Fig. 7 is a rear end view showing in elevation the operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6 with parts omitted and broken away;

Figs. 8 and 9 are top plan views of ticket feeding and guiding mechanism, showing parts in different relative positions;

Fig. 10 is a central longitudinal section through the ticket strip guiding means with the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 8;

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail plan views illustrating the relative positions of tickets at different stages in the cycle of operation;

Fig. 13 is a view in front elevation, showing to an enlarged scale the pin strip guiding means, and also portions of the ticket attaching mechanism;

Fig. 13*- is a section along the line Hi -ii of Fig. 13;

Fig. 14 is a section on the line 14-44 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a section on the line I5l5 of Fig.

13 with the attaching pin removed;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line Iii-l6 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 17 is a section taken longitudinally of the pin guiding grooves shown in Fig. 13 and illustrating the manner in which the pin driver forces a pin through the pin strip;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 13 illustrating the parts in dlfierent relative positions and also showing the means for feeding the pin strip;

Fig. 18 is a section along the line IB -iii of Fig. 18;

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 18 showing the frame for the feeding rolls in place;

Figs. 20 and 21 are different axial sections through the lower feed roll illustrated in Fig. 18; Fig. 22 is a section on the line 22-22 of Fig. 20;

Figs. 23 and 24 are sections taken transversely of the main operating shaft and illustrating in side elevation the parts of the one-revolution clutch in different relative positions;

Fig. 25 is a section taken through the rear portion of the machine illustrating the one-revolution clutch in edge elevation;

Fig. 26 is a top plan view with parts broken away of a magazine for the tickets and the pin strip;

Fig. 2'7 is a view in side elevation with parts broken away of the magazine shown in Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 is an enlarged detail view illustrating a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 18; and

Fig. 29 is a vertical section of the plunger. like Fig. 28 but showing outer part I09 in elevated position.

In the apparatus selected for illustration the operating parts are mounted within and upon a frame or housing comprising a base I0 which is of sufficient depth or thickness adjacent the front side of the machine to receive and enclose a drawer II (Fig. 5) for type or other accessories. The base is also provided with a depression I2 (Figs. 2 and 5) in which the driving motor I3 is mounted. Front and rear walls I4 and I6 are mounted on the base and support a top or table H. The front wall extends entirely across the front side of the machine and is provided with a removable section or plate I8 which closes an opening I9 through which access may be had to the interior parts from this side of the machine. The rear wall preferably extends only part way across the rear side of the machine (Fig. 2) and the enclosure is completed by detachable side wall members 2I and 22 (Fig. 2). Each of these side wall members is turned inwardly at the rear of the machine to extend along the back side thereof to the end wall I6. Preferably each side wall member is mounted to pivot about a vertical axis so as to be capable of swinging outwardly and rearwardly. Thus the member 2I pivots about a vertically disposed hinge pin 23 (Fig. 2) while the member 22 pivots about a vertically disposed hinge pin 24. A cam shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in bearings 21 and 28 carried by the front and rear walls. Power is transmitted from the driving motor to the cam shaft through reduction gearing, comprising a worm 29 and a worm wheel 30, and a one-revolution clutch 3I (Figs. 5 and 6). The cam shaft has affixed thereon peripheral cams 32, 33, 34 and 35 and a double face cam 31 having grooves 38 (Fig. 4) and 39 (Fig. 7) in the opposite faces thereof.

Mechanism for feeding and for operating upon tickets is mounted upon the top or table portion ll of the housing and comprises an open guideway (Figs. 8 to 12) formed by aligned base strips M and M and aligned marginal strips 42, 42' and 43, 43', the latter serving to confine and guide the tickets along the base strip toward the front of the machine. At one side of this guideway a slot 44 is formed in the top of the housing to receive the upwardly extending arms of bell cranks 46 and 4'! (Fig. 6). At its upper end each arm carries a stub shaft 48 and 49 respectively. The stub shaft 49 carries a pivotally mounted feed pawl or finger 5I which normally is urged downwardly toward the guideway by the action of a coil spring 52. The stub shaft 48 carries a relatively long finger or pusher 53 which is likewise urged downwardly toward the guideway by the action of a coil spring 54. The bell crank 48 is mounted to pivot on a stub shaft 56 (Fig. 6) and carries on its lower arm a roller or follower 51 which is held in engagement with the peripheral cam 32 by the action of a retracting spring 58. In a similar manner the bell crank 41 is mounted to pivot on a stub shaft 59 carried by the frame, and the lower arm of this bell crank is fitted with a roller or follower 6i which held against the cam 33 by a retracting spring At a suitable point along the ticket guideway a cutter or knife 63 is mounted to extend across the guideway from side to side and to cooperate with hardened insert strips 64 and 68 for severing the ticket from the strip. Preferably the adjacent upper edges of both of the insert strips 64 and 6B are cutting edges which cooperate with similar cutting edges of the cutter 63 so that the material between adjacent tickets will be died out as the cutter descends. Preferably the material so removed is discharged to one side of the machine through achute 65 (Fig. 2) formed in the side wall member 22 to extend beneath the cutter. The cutter blade 63 is attached to the upper arm of a bell crank 61 (Figs. 3, 6, and '7) which is mounted to pivot about a horizontal shaft 68 as well as for rotary movement relative thereto. The lower arm of the bell crank 61 carries a follower I0 which is engageable with cam 36 and which normally is urged toward the cam by a retracting spring 89, but this movement is limited as the cam recedes by a stop or abutment II (Fig. 7) which engages the end of a slot in the table II through which the bell crank operates and thus limits upward movement of the cutting blade.

The horizontal shaft 68 on which the cutter mechanism is mounted for relative rotary movement is also rotatably supported in bearings I2 and I3 carried by the table portion II. This shaft 68 functions as a pivot pin for a bell crank comprising a printing arm I4 extending upwardly above the machine and 2. depending arm I6 having at its lower end a boss 11 which slidably receives a pin I8 carrying a follower roller I9 (Fig. 6). The depending arm I6 also has plvotally mounted thereon a lever 8| extending through the table portion to be operable from the upper side of the machine and having a slot 82 in its lower end which receives and slidably engages a pin or set screw 83 carried by the sliding pin I8 on which the follower roller I9 is mounted. When the lever is thrown to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, the follower is spaced to engage the cam 34 and also the cam 36, but when the upper end of the lever 8| is thrown to the left, the lower end, through its connection with the follower, causes the latter to be displaced to the right so that the follower roller is in position to be engaged only by cam 34. Thus, it will be apparent that by shifting the lever 8| the printing arm I4 may be made responsive to the action of one or both of the cams 34 and 36, the follower in each instance being held against one of the cams at all times by the action of a retracting spring 84 (Fig. '7) connected to the lower arm of the bell crank.

The mechanism for feeding and operating upon the ticket strip as thus far described preferably is arranged to provide for feeding tickets of different sizes, as long and short tickets. and printing data once on each ticket or in duplicate on long tickets. Thus, the feed pawl 5| is reciprocated through a sufficient stroke longitudinally of the guideway to be capable of feeding relatively long tickets (Figs. 11 and 12), but when shorter tickets are used the latter are advanced by the pawl 5I during a part of the full stroke thereof. The tickets are tensioned or restrained from moving too freely along the guideway by a fiat strip 86 which extends longitudinally above the guideway and bears downwardly upon the ticket strip disposed therein. This flat strip is also adjustable longitudinally of the guideway to cooperate with the pawl 5I when feeding short tickets. Thus when feeding the shorter tickets 85 Figs. 8

to 10), the plate 86 is arranged to extend forwardly beneath the pusher pawl 53 to engage and lift the feed pawl 5| as the latter moves rearwardly and to permit this feed pawl to descend again into engagement with the ticket strip at the proper point to engage a ticket, preferably to engage an aperture or notch between adjacent tickets of the size being used. This strip 86 carries at its rear end an upwardly extending threaded pin 81 which is received in a longitudinal slot 98 formed in a rearwardly extending guide strip 39 carried by a bridge piece 93 attached to guide strips 92 and 93. The rear end of this guide strip curves upwardly and then forwardly for guiding a strip of tickets into the channel formed by the guide strips 52 and 33. A nut 9i threaded upon the pin 31 is provided for holding the strip 86 in the desired position of adjustment longitudinally of the guideway. The pawl 5i is adapted to move forwardly preferably substantially to the cutter blade 63 so as to advance each ticket as it is engaged by the pawl to a proper position beneath the cutter for severing from the strip. The pusher 53 is adapted to advance each ticket from substantially the position shown in Figs. 8 and 10 to the position shown in Fig. 9 at which the forward end of the pusher is disposed substantially at the front side of the machine adjacent the ticket attaching apparatus. In advancing from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 9 the pusher is caused by its actuating cam 32 to dwell as the detached ticket arrives beneath the printing head 92 in a proper position for printing (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8) and then after the printing operation, to continue the advance to deliver the printed ticket from the guideway 9| to the ticket attaching mechanism.

Thus it will be seen that each ticket is advanced in a progressive stroke from a position in the ticket strip where it is first engaged by the feed pawl 5i and brought beyond the cutterto a position for severing, at which time both the feed pawl and the pusher are disengaged from the ticket (Fig. 8) and the latter is held yieldably against the base of the guideway by longitudinally extending spring fingers 93 and 94. The parts are so timed that as a ticket is engaged by the retaining or holding fingers 93 and 94, both the pusher 53 and feed pawl 5| are retracted so as to approach the positions shown in Fig. 8 and the cutter is actuated by cam 36 to sever the ticket.

When only one printing is to be made upon such a ticket, the shifter arm BI should be thrown to the left or to the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 6 so that the follower I9 will engage only the cam 34. This cam and the cam which actuates the pusher are so correlated and designed that the pusher is caused to advance the ticket and to cause the latter to dwell beneath the printing head 92 while the cam 34 causes the head to descend and make a printing impression upon the ticket during the dwell thereof, after which the ticket is advanced by the pusher to the ticket attaching mechanism. This cycle of operation is useful with either long or short tickets.

When long tickets are used, however, and it is desired to print data in duplicate on such tickets, the shifter lever BI may be thrown to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6,'in which condition the printing head 92 becomes responsive to the action of cams 39 and 39. These cams, together with the cams 32 and 33, are so correlated and designed as to cause the printing head to descend and make a printing impression on the leading or lower end of a long ticketvdue to the action of cam 39 while the ticket is in the position shown in Fig. 11, and just before the cutter is actuated by the cam 36. Immediately after this first printing impression is made the cutter descends, severs the ticket, and the pusher advances the ticket as before, causing the latter to dwell beneath the printing head (Fig. 12) as the second impression is made and then delivering the ticket to the attaching mechanism.

The conditions necessary for best efiiciency in the operation of this apparatus are that the cutter be spaced from the printing head on one side or the other, although preferably on the side shown, at a distance to sever a long ticket when the end portion or leading end of the latter extends beneath the printing head in position for printing. It is also advantageous to sever the ticket from the strip and print the first impression thereon during the same interruption or dwell at the forward or progressive stroke of the ticket, although obviously these operations may be performed otherwise if desired. This arrangement together with the cooperating earns 39 and 36 makes it possible always to print a single impression on long or short tickets and yet, when desired, to print in duplicate on long tickets.

While these features provide a desirable mode of operation, it is also possible to obtain duplicate printing on a ticket by printing the firstimpression, while the ticket is in the strip before being severed and after having been advanced one-part stroke, then advancing the strip a second-part stroke for a second impression, at which position the ticket'is severed and then advanced to attaching means. In this event the movable member such as the pawl 5| for feeding the ticket strip would operate in two-part strokes, while the member 53 for advancing the ticket would operate in one full stroke.

Means are provided for inking type carrieclby the printing head 92 before each printing impression, irrespective of whether one or more impressions are made upon each ticket. This mechanism comprises an ink ng pad 96 (Fig. 7) carried by the lower end of an arm 98 mounted upon a fixed shaft or pivot 99. The printing head is pivotally connected to the inking pad arm by a link IIiI of such proportions as to force the inking pad against the type at the upper limit of the stroke of the printing arm. Preferably the parts are 'so arranged that the cams 34 and 36 by which the printing head is actuated recede far enough as the printing head approaches the upper limit of its stroke to leave this head under the infiuence of the retracting spring 89. Thus this spring is efiective for bringing the inking pad yieldably against the type.

As a severed and printed ticket is moved forwardly out of the guideway flI by the action of the pusher 53 as the latter moves to the position shown in Fig. 9. the ticket is received beneath a downwardly extending beak I92 (Fig. 13) and above the point of an upwardly directed cusp I03, the inner longitudinal edge of the ticket being yieldably urged against a fixed shoulder I93 by a spring-pressed member I06 which engages the opposite longitudinal edge of the ticket. Conveniently the member I09 may be substantially of L-shape with the base of the L extending horizontally to engage the ticket being urged into engagement therewith by a coil spring I01 disposed in a suitable recess in the frame.

The lower outline of the beak I32 recedes from the point thereof upwardly above the ticket along s'ii a concave curve providing a rigid abutment I08 against which the ticket may be forced for crimping during attachment. Directly below the abutment I08 and the beak I02 a two-part anvil (Figs. 4 and 13) comprising the relatively movable parts I09 and III is mounted for vertical reciprocatory movement in a boss H2 carried by the front wall of the housing. The part I09 of the anvil may be in the form of a cylindrical rod fitting slidably within the boss and having a slot H3 extending longitudinally therethrough. Preferably this slot is open along one side of the outer part I09 so that the inner part III which fits slidably within the slot may also have a bearing against the fixed inner wall of the boss II 2. The two parts of this anvil may be connected for relative longitudinal movement by a yieldable connection (Fig. 4) comprising a pin II4 which is mounted in the outer member to extend transversely across the slot H3 and within a longitudinal slot I IS in the inner member. A block I I1 mounted upon the pin H4 is adapted to fit the upper end of the slot H6 and also to provide a seat for a coil spring II8 which engages the lower end of the slot I H5. The upper end of the outer part of this anvil is rounded off somewhat spherically so as to be complementary to the downwardly curved lower edge of the abutment I08. The upper end of the inner member III is formed with a groove H9 which may be inclined slightly upwardly for directing a pin as the ticket is being attached to the material. These parts preferably are so proportioned and arranged that the groove H9 aligns with an undercut groove I2I formed in the beak I02 (Figs. 13 and 16).

The anvil is moved upwardly to hold material against a ticket as the latter arrives at the position shown in Fig. 13 and crimp the ticket substantially as shown in Fig. 18 and is then withdrawn in properly timed relation by a system of levers actuated from the groove 38 of cam 31. From Fig. 4 it will be seen that a follower I22 rides in the groove 38 and actuates a bell crank I23 rotatably mounted on a pivot pin I24. Another bell crank I26 is mounted to pivot on the longer arm on bell crank I23, the shorter arms of these two bell cranks being yieldably connected by a relatively strong retracting spring I21. The longer arm of the bell crank I26 is slotted to receive a pin I23 carried by the lower end of the inner member III of the anvil. The longer arm of the bell crank I23 is provided with a laterally extending lug I3I in which an adjusting screw I32 is mounted to engage the bell crank I26.

During normal operation the adjusting screw is held firmly against the bell crank I26 by the action of the retracting spring I21, and as the levers are actuated by the cam'the inner part of the anvil will be moved upwardly to a definite predetermined position, as shown in Fig. 18, for guiding a pin during attachment. The outer portion of the anvil is also moved upwardly toward a predetermined position for engagement with fabric or other material to which the ticket is to be attached, but due to the yieldable connoction of the parts of the anvil the outer part is permitted to yield and to descend against the action of the spring I I8, thereby to accommodate differences in the combined thickness of ticket and the material to which the ticket is to be attached. Furthermore, while the retracting spring I21 is sufficiently strong to move the inner part I I I to a definite and predetermined position, this spring is also designed to yield so as to permit the adjusting screw I32 to separate from the bell crank I26 in the event that the mechanism becomes jammed or otherwise inoperative so as to avoid serious damage to the apparatus. It will be evident that while this anvil is illustrated in connection with apparatus for pinning a ticket to material, it also may be used advantageously with other forms of attaching devices as, for example, with means for stapling a ticket to material.

The pins for attaching the tickets are carried by a, strip I35 which is conducted downwardly into a guiding means indicated generally at I30. This guide may be formed conveniently from a back plate I31 (Fig. 14) having spaced pin strip guiding plates I38 and I39 attached thereto for engagement with the paper carrying the pins. The strip guiding plates have their adjacent edges undercut to diverge from the front or outer sides thereof to meet the back plate I31 substantially along the downwardly inclined dotted lines I38 and I39 (Fig. 13). The outer adjacent edges of these guide plates also incline downwardly toward the lower end of the guide I36 so as to form with the back plate I 31 a guide passage having a cross section converging outwardly to the open and downwardly convergent slot formed by the adjacent front or outer edges of the plates I38 and I39 and merging at the lower end of the guide into a vertical slot I4I having relatively closely spaced side walls disposed substantially perpendicular to the back plate. The material forming one side of this slot is rounded smoothly, as indicated at I42, and then extends horizontally to provide a guiding surface against which the pin strip may be. held after the pins have been removed therefrom. The pins are retained in the strip in aligned and spaced relation by a guide channel formed by vertically disposed pin guide strips I43 and I44 which are attached to the inner strips I38 and I39 and overlie the outer ends of the pins as the strip I35 moves downwardly. The pin guidestrips I43 and I44 as well as the inner strips I38 and I39 may be rigidly mounted to remain in a fixed spaced relation, if desired, as very satisfactory results are obtained by this construction.

The pins carried by the strip due to their frictional contact at the pin-receiving apertures tend to oppose folding of the strip and require that the latter be placed under considerable tension in constructions such as that just described where the fold is formed solely by the action of the convergent passage in bringing the edges of the strip together. Excessive tension on the strip may cause rupturing thereof, especially about the lowermost pin, which may tear partially away so as to permit the strip to be pulled or advanced far enough to cause relative upward movement in the strip of the lowermost pin as this pin comes into the grooves I53 and I54, thereby bringing the next pin so close to the path of the pin driver as to interfere with proper operation. In order to avoid occurrences of this kind it is desirable to provide for pressing the marginal edges of the pin strip toward each other just before each step advance of this strip. This may be accomplished conveniently by arranging the inner lateral edges of the strip I44 to follow the contour of the pin strip and to cooperate with the edge of the strip I39 for guiding the adjacent marginal portion of the pin strip. The strip I44 is also supported for relative movement, preferably by being mounted to pivot or oscillate on a pivot screw I45. In order that movement of the strip I44 may be effected automatically in propaosarco erly timed relation an abutment I44 carried by the movable strip I44 is arranged to extend into the path of the pin driving mechanism to be engaged by the latter as a pin is transferred to a ticket. The movable strip I44 has a vertical groove I56 which receives and des the headed ends of the pins while the fixed strip I43 has an offset portion which cooperates with the plate I38 to form a similar groove I50 for receiving the pointed ends of the pins. The lower end of the strip I44 is notched or cut away on front and. back sides, as indicated at I55 to provide clearance for the lower portion of the pin strip as well as a larger opening for observing the position of the pins.

While in general the pin strip I35 may be of usual construction, preferably it is formed with a weakened portion extending longitudinally between the rows of apertures in which the pins are disposed. Thus the strip may have been perforated along a longitudinal line I46 (Fig. 13) or it may have been previously folded or creased or otherwise weakened along this line so' as to facilitate folding. It will be apparent that whatever means be adopted for weakening this strip, the line I46 representing the location of this weakened portion should extend midway between the longitudinal rows of pin receiving apertures so that as the strip is folded longitudinally upon itself, the two apertures in which each pin is disposed will be brought into register. A strip' of this type is disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 1,880,197, filed December 9, 1930 and granted October 4, 1932.

The strip is inserted into the guide by folding the leading end thereof and inserting this folded portion between the strip guiding members I38 and I39 and pulling it downwardly and through the slot II and around the curved shoulder I42 to a pair of feeding rollers I41 and I48 (Figs. 4 and 18). These feeding rollers are preferably located to one side of the machine so as to carry portions of the strip from which the pins have been removed away from the point of attachment of the tickets and out of the way of a person operating the machine. It will also be evident that as the strip is first led to the machine, the pins must either be removed from a sufficient portion of the leading end of the strip to permit the latter to extend between the feeding rollers I41 and I48 or the strip should be provided with a blank portion at its leading end of similar dimensions. It will be seen that as this weakened pin strip is moved downwardly through the converging passage formed by the strip guiding members I38 and I39, the longitudinal edges of the strip will be brought together, thus folding the strip longitudinally upon itself along the weakened portion I46 and bringing the apertures in which each pin is disposed substantially into alignment.

Each of the strip guides I38 and I39 has formed on the lower end thereof an outwardly disposed ledge or shoulder (II, I52) which extends across the path of pins carried by the strip for intercepting such pins as the strip descends or advances through the guide. Preferably aligned grooves I53 and I 54 are formed in the upper sides of these shoulders at the proper elevation to receive an advancing pin and to support and guide the latter while it is being inserted into a ticket. Thus the groove I53 is aligned with the groove I2I formed in the under side of beak I02.

As each pin is delivered into the grooves I53 and I54 it may be removed from the folded strip by being forced therethrough in a direction norms] to the plane of the folded portions of the strip. When removal is effected in this manner. the only resistance offered by the strip is that which opposes movement of the head of the pin. This is reduced to a minimum when the strip is supported or backed up around the shank of the pin so as to prevent the head from tearing large holes in the strip. However, if the backing or support for the strip provides too small a clearance for the head of the pin, the head will shear or punch out and carry with it an annular ring of paper as it passes through the pin strip. To avoid this undesirable result the groove I53 may be enlarged, as by being counterbored for a short distance from the slot I4I, as indicated at I56, the counterbore preferably tapering off and merging smoothly into the groove, as shown. This construction avoids excessive rupture of the strip and the disadvantages resulting therefrom and yet provides practically all the desirable features of a direct shearing action. While in some cases it may be preferred to back up the strip entirely around the shank of the pin, this is not necessary, for good results are obtained when the groove I53 is open along the upper side, as shown in the drawings.

The mechanism for transferring a pin from the pin strip intoa ticket for attaching the latter to material is mounted in a frame, indicated generally at I60 (Figs. 4, 6, 7, 13, 18 and 19), and supported on a portion of the top or table I1 of the housing which extends forwardly beyond the front wall of the housing. The strip guiding means I36 is carried by this frame, the back plate I31 being extended to form the back vertical wall of the frame and serves for supporting and guiding moving parts. A pin driver rod I6I is fixedly secured in the desired position of. longitudinal adjustment in a bore in the driver head I62 by means of a set screw I63. The pin driver rod is supported and guided in a pin driver hole I64 in the guide I36 for movement through'the grooves I53 and I54. The driver head I62 is mounted to slide along a passage provided by a slot I61 in'an elongate guide block I66 which is attached to the adjacent portion of plate I31 (Fig. 6), the latter being provided with a flarnge I68 extending along the rear side thereof by which it is attached to the table I1. The rear vertical wall of the back plate I31 provides a continuous guiding surface for a bar I1I (Figs.

6, '7 and 19). While this bar has a combined sliding and rocking motion it is hereinafter re ferred to as a slide bar or merely a bar. An upstanding bracket I12 (Fig. 19) is arranged in opposed relation to the aforementioned vertical surface and cooperates therewith for guiding the slide bar. This slide bar normally is urged toward the ticket attaching mechanism by a retracting spring I13. The slide bar also normally extends beyond the guide I66 and carries a pivotally mounted spring pressed feed pawl I14 (Fig.

I 7) which cooperates with the stripfeeding mechanism. The back plate I31 has an arcuate longitudinal slot I16 (Fig. 18) through which a driving connection or pin I11 may operate freely for imparting the desired stroke or reciprocatory motion to the driver head I62. This driving pin fits snugly in a recess or notch I18 formed in the driver head and also extends through a slot I18 I Fig. 7) in the slide bar. This latter slot, which may be arcuate or straight, as shown, is shorter in length than the normal full stroke of the dTlV. ing connection or pin I11 so that during each such stroke the slide bar is moved as the driving connection engages the ends of the slot I19.

The pin strip is fed through the guiding means I36 and held continually under tension therein by the upper and lower feed rollers I41 and I08 which are rotatably mounted in and between front and rear depending arms of an auxiliary frame IBI (Figs. 1 to 5) mounted upon the guide I66 and back plate I31. The upper roller is provided with journals I41 and I41 (Fig. 5) which are mounted for vertical movement toward and from the lower roller in vertical slots I82 formed in the arms of this frame while the lower roller is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis. A U-shaped brace member or yoke I83 embraces the upper portion of the frame and has the lower ends of its depending arms slotted to receive and bear against the journals of the upper roller.

A compression spring I80 is mounted upon a rod I86 affixed to the top portion of the frame MI and extends freely through an aperture in the top portion of member I83 (Fig. 4). A flat strip or thumb piece I01 is interposed between the top crosspiece of member I83 and the top portion of the frame I8I and has an aperture through which the rod I84 loosely extends. The spring I84 seats on the yoke I83 and is held under the desired compression by a thumb nut I88 threaded on the upper end of rod I 86. It will be seen that the spring I86 acts through the yoke member yieldably to urge the journals of the upper roller downwardly and thus to produce a yieldable tension on the portion of the pin strip extending between these rollers, movement for this purpose being provided by the slots I82 and I82 which receive the journals of the upper roller. This tension may be relieved temporarily by raising the thumb piece I81 so as to raise the yoke against the action of the spring.

The lower roller is provided with a central bushing I89 which extends beyond the side of the roller to provide a bearing for a ratchet wheel ISI. This roller also carries fixed projections or pins I92 and I93 which engage complementary recesses in the ratchet wheel with sufficient freedom to afford relative axial movement between these parts and yet provide a rigid driving connection between the ratchet wheel and the roller. The ratchet wheel and this lower roller are normally urged apart and into engagement with the embracing arms of the auxiliary frame I8I by the action of coil springs I94 and I96 which are carried in axial recesses in the roller and engage the adjacent surface of the ratchet wheel. The action of these springs is such as to provide a side or end tension between the frame and the roller I94 and the ratchet wheel. It will be apparent that this side tension may be adjusted by tightening or loosening the pivot bolt I95. This roller is actuated from the slide bar "I due to the action of pawl I14 which engages the ratchet as the slide bar is reciprocated. Preferably the surface of at least one of the feed rollers, as that of the lower roller, is formed with transverse ridges or corrugations or is otherwise roughened to assure good adhesion and definite and positive feeding of the pin strip as well as for holding the latter under some tension while at rest, each step advance of the rollers tending to feed the strip slightly more than the distance between pins and the rollers slipping slightly on the strip when the foremost pin seats on the ledges I5I and I52 (Figs. 13 and 14).

Means for opening or spreading plies of the ticket to receive the point of the pin as the latter is inserted may be supported by the back plate I31 which may be extended for this purpose to the left of the strip guiding means, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 13, preferably substantially to the side of the machine. On the forward side of this back plate a lever 20I is pivotally mounted and has its lower end turned downwardly in the form of a relatively sharp, flat and spear-like hook 202. This lever is widened at its upper portion and carries a driving connection or pin 203 which extends rearwardly through an arcuate slot 204 in the back plate I31. This driving connection or pin may be fixedly attached to the adjacent end of the slide bar HI, and the slot 204 may be so positioned and proportioned as to permit the lever 20! to move downwardly each time the slide bar moves to the left to the extreme end of its stroke, as viewed in Fig. 18., and then as the slide bar returns to the right to the extreme end of its stroke in this direction, the lever 20I will be moved upwardly so as to withdraw the pointed lower end thereof above the lower edge of plate I31. Preferably this lever operates in a slot formed in a cover plate 206 which is attached to the plate I31. It will also be evident that if desired the strip M3 of the guiding means may be formed integral with this cover plate and that the tension member I06 may operate in a similar slot in the inner side of the cover plate, which also provides the recess for the spring I01 engaging the tension member I06.

The mechanism for operating the pin driver rod IBI and for operating the lever 20I to spread the plies of a ticket to receive and to enclose the point of a pin as well as for operating the upper and lower feeding rollers I41 and I48 is all actuated in properly timed relation with a one-lever motion. This motion is produced by the groove 39 in the cam 31 which actuates a fol lower carried by a lever 201 (Fig. 7) which is mounted to pivot on the pin I24 (see also Fig. 4), the latter being rotatably supported in a bracket 209 mounted on the base of the machine. Another lever 2II is also mounted on the pin I24, these two levers being capable of relative rotary movement about the pivotal axis provided by the pin. The lever 2I I carries at its upper end the driving connection or pin I11 (Fig. 4) which operates the driver head I62 and also the slide bar I1I. These levers 201 and 2 are connected by a yieldable connection comprising an eye or swing bolt 2I2 mounted to pivot on a pin 2I3 carried by the lever 201. This bolt extends through a boss or lug 2 I4 on lever 2I I and carries a compression spring 2I8 which seats against the boss and is held under the desired tension by lock nuts 2 I1. The bolt also carries lock nuts 2 I8 which constitute a fixed abutment for engaging the boss 2I4 to move the pin driver to the left, as viewed in Fig. '7, or to withdraw the pin driver rod. The spring 2I6 is held under sufficient tension so that during normal operation the levers 201 and 2H operate as a bell crank and the swing bolt 2I2 constitutes merely a substantially rigid connection between the levers. However, in the event that the apparatus should not function properly or a pin should become jammed. or for some other reason it might be undesirable to force the pin driver or other portions of the mechanism through the normal cycle of operation, the spring M5 is adapted to yield so that although the lever 201 may continue to operate through its normal cycle, as produced by the cam 31. yet only a part of this motlon need be transmitted to the lever 2| I.

aoeaitc The driving motor is controlled by a switch 22l (Fig. 3) which may be mounted upon the table portion I1 or at any other convenient location. While the motor is in operation the worm wheel 30 rotates freely about the shaft 26 (Fig. 6) except at such times as the clutch 3i operates to engage this worm wheel with the shaft. The clutch is arranged to be operated from the front side of the machine by a spring-pressed rod 222 extending beneath the table portion l'l through the front wall and carrying a thumb or finger piece or plate 223. This rod preferably is arranged to pass through the front wall of the housing at a point relatively close to the ticket attaching mechanism so that the thumb piece 223 may be engaged by an operator with a straightin motion which may be the same movement required to insert material to be ticketed above the anvil of the ticket attaching mechanism. At the rear side of the machine (Figs. 23 to above the clutch the rod 222 carries a block 223, the upper surface of which bears against the under side of table l1. This rod is normally held, by the action of a retracting spring 221, against an abutment pin 226 carried by the table.

The operating parts of the clutch comprise a ratchet Wheel 228 which is freely rotatable with respect to the shaft 26 and is afiixed to the hub of the worm wheel 38. A disk 229 is afiixed to the shaft 26 at a point adjacent the ratchet wheel 228. This disk has a notch 23! formed in its periphery to be engaged by an upstanding resilient finger 232 to prevent counterclockwise movement of the disk and also of the shaft 26, as viewed in Figs. 23 and 24 so as to avoid rebound at stopping position. A pawl 233 is mounted to pivot on the disk outside the ratchet wheel and has a tooth 233 which is engageable between the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The other end of the pawl extends beyond the periphery of the disk 229 and is cut away to provide an abutment 236 and then recedes in a smooth curve 237 to a position below the periphery of disk 229. The pawl is normally urged into engagement with the ratchet by the action of a retractingspring 238 connected between the trailing end of the pawl and disk 229.

When the parts are arranged in the position shown in Figs. 23 and 25 the block 224 is disposed directly in the path of the abutment 236 of the pawl and thus holds the disk 229 and the shaft 26 from rotation. Inasmuch as the ratchet 228 and worm wheel 30 are freely rotatable on the shaft 28, it will be apparent that the motor may be operated continually while the parts are so arranged. However, when the rod 222 is moved rearwardly by depressing the thumb piece 223 the block 226 is moved against the action of the retracting spring 221 to a position to clear the abutment 236 so that the tooth 23d of the pawl may engage the ratchet. When this occurs there is a positive connection from the worm wheel 38 through the ratchet and pawl to the disk 229 and the shaft 28 and the latter is thereby caused to make a complete revolution. As this revolution is about completed, the block 224, having been returned to its normal position by the action of the retracting spring 221, engages the receding leading end 231 of the pawl and gradually depresses the lat-ter so as to raise the tooth 234 out of engagement with the ratchet. As soon as this disengagement is effected the abutment 236 arrives against the block 223 and thus positively prevents further rotation of the shaft 26. It will be evident that as all of the moving parts of the machine are operated by cams carried by the shaft 26 the machine will be stopped after each complete cycle of operations unless the thumb piece 223 is held in a depressed position. The rear end of the shaft 26 also extends through the rear bearing 28 beyond the rear wall of the machine and carries a hand wheel 239 by which the machine may be operated manually or by an external source of power if desired.

Thetickets to be operated upon and attached to the material are preferably in a continuous strip which conveniently may be supplied in a roll from which the tickets are fed through the machine as previously set forth herein. The pin strip i may also advantageously be provided in roll form. These two rolls may be carried by a magazine (Figs. 26 and 27) comprising a cylindrical wall 2 3i having a central vertical partition or web 292 extending diametrically therein to separate the magazine into separate compartments for the different rolls. This partition carries a centrally disposed axially extending pin 263 which extends into each of the compartments and is adapted to support apertured blocks such as the block 2 34 on which the rolls are mounted. Removable side plates 246 and 247 are provided for closing the respective compartments and may conveniently be releasably attached to the end portions of the pin 243 in any approved manner.

The cylindrical wall 2 is formed with or mounted upon a pedestal 258 which is secured to the top of table portion ll of the housing (Fig.

At the forward side of the magazine opposite the compartment for the pin strip the cylindrical wall 24! is provided with an outwardly and downwardly curved guideway 249 which is 1 arranged to register with the strip guiding means I36 (Figs. 1 and 13) and preferably to bear against the top edge of the back plate I31 of this strip guiding means. The forward side of the magazine is also provided with a bracket arm 25l to which the fixed pivot or stub shaft 99 (Fig. '7) of the inking arm may be attached. On the rear side of the housing opposite the compartment for the strip of tickets the cylindrical wall 2M is provided with a slot 252 through which the ticket strip passes downwardly around the upwardly curved end portion of the guide strip 89 (Figs. 5, 8 and 9).

In preparing the machine for use, a roll of tickets and the rolled pin strip are mounted in I the magazine. The end of the strip of tickets is then passed through the opening 252 in the magazine downwardly around and beneath the curved rear portion of the guide strip 89 and into the ticket feeding and guiding means. Preferably the leading end of this ticket strip is advanced substantially to a position to register with the cutter slot in the guideway, although this is notnecessary, for so long as the ticket strip extends in the guideway for a sufficient distance to be engaged by the feed pawl 5i (Figs. 8 and 9) the strip will be adjusted automatically to the proper position in this guideway after one cycle of operation. The pin strip is passed through the guide 249 and the forward end of the strip is folded along the weakened portion M6 with the fold edge extending outwardly. This folded portion is then inserted in the vertical slot (M (Fig. 14) and carried around the shoulder I42 (Fig. 13) to the feeding rollers M1 and (48 (Fig. 18). By raising the thumb piece 181 (Fig. 7) the feeding rollers may be easily separated to receive the pin strip which is pulled through these rollers far enough to bring a pin into the guiding grooves I53 and I56 of the guiding means (36 (Fig. 13). 

